Showing results by narrator "Mark Bowen" in All Categories

In 1837, Ralph Waldo Emerson took the stage at Harvard and delivered what would become one of the most influential speeches in American intellectual history. The American Scholar was not just a lecture—it was a manifesto, a call to arms for a young nation searching for its own cultural identity. Emerson challenged his audience to break free from European intellectual traditions, urging them to think for themselves, to create, and to embrace the vast potential of the American mind.

Finger! Finger! is a creepy story by Margaret Ronan about a teenage girl who starts work as a maid in the house of a strange old woman. Carola has been hired to work as a servant for Miss Amanda, a bed-bound heavy woman. She's quite nervous and the cook coaches her on how to care for Miss Amanda. When Carola first meets Miss Amanda, she's a bit shocked by her appearance.

In the heart of Paris, where art and ambition intertwine, the boundaries between genius and madness blur. A tale of creation, obsession, and the quest for perfection, this story dances on the edge of brilliance. The artist, driven by an insatiable desire to capture the unattainable, confronts the fragility of his own vision. As the canvas comes to life, so too does a world where nothing is as it seems, and the cost of true artistry might just be too high. Balzac's story whispers of the fine line between genius and obsession, where the artist's soul is as fragile as the masterpiece he seeks.

Beneath the crumbling tombstones of Salem's old cemetery, something stirs in the dark. The dead do not rest easy here, not because of ghosts, but because of what lurks beneath—the scurrying, gnawing, ever-hungry things that slither through tunnels older than memory. Massing in the catacombs, these rats are no mere vermin. They are watchers, thieves of the dead, and perhaps something far worse. For every corpse lowered into the earth, another vanishes, stolen away into the labyrinth of writhing shadows.

A garden bathed in sunlight, tables laid with fine china, the hum of polite laughter—everything is in place for the perfect afternoon. The Sheridans' party is effortless, untouched by worry, floating on a breeze of privilege. But just beyond the garden's edge, life is different—harsh, unpolished, shaped by struggle. Laura Sheridan stands between these two worlds, drawn in by beauty yet unsettled by something she can't quite name. A hat, a voice, a fleeting hesitation—small moments that carry unexpected weight. Can innocence survive once you glimpse what lies outside the gates?

"The Classic Collection of Franz Kafka. Novellas and Stories" brings together a selection of extraordinary works by Franz Kafka, one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. This collection showcases Kafka's unique literary style and his exploration of existential themes, alienation, and the human condition. "The Metamorphosis" is a haunting novella that follows the bizarre transformation of Gregor Samsa into a giant insect, exploring themes of identity, isolation, and the absurdity of human existence.

In the story The Treasure Hunt you can meet Mr.Reeder again and admire his brilliant criminal mind. The story has been shortened and simplified for intermediate and upper-intermediate learners of English.

The Green Mamba is a story in which Wallace's famous detective, Mr. J. G. Reeder, outsmarts one of the leading master criminals in London at the very moment when he is on the verge of his greatest criminal coup.

The Alice Dunbar-Nelson Collection showcases the multifaceted talent of Alice Dunbar-Nelson, a prominent voice of the Harlem Renaissance. This compilation features standout works like Violets, Ten Minutes' Musing, A Carnival Jangle, The Woman, and Titee, each reflecting her keen insight into themes of identity, gender, race, and social justice. With lyrical elegance and emotional depth, Dunbar-Nelson captures the intricacies of human experience while addressing the cultural and societal dynamics of her time.

Discover the heartbeat of American poetry through 101 Great American Poems — a carefully curated collection that spans centuries of voices. From the reflective verses of Anne Bradstreet to the bold rhythms of Langston Hughes, this anthology captures the soul of a nation through themes of love, loss, freedom, and hope. Tracing a journey from Puritan resolve to the artistic fervor of the Harlem Renaissance, these poems invite readers to explore America's evolving identity across generations and genres.

"In the Penal Colony" is a short story by Franz Kafka written in German in October 1914, revised in November 1918, and first published in October 1919. As in some of Kafka's other writings, the narrator in this story seems detached from, or perhaps numbed by, events that one would normally expect to be registered with horror. Internal clues and the setting on an island suggest Octave Mirbeau's The Torture Garden as an influence.

African American history is the part of American history that looks at the history of African Americans or Black Americans. Of the 10.7 million Africans who were brought to the Americas until the 1860s, 450 thousand were shipped to what is now the United States. Most African Americans are descended from Africans who were brought directly from Africa to America and became slaves. The future slaves were originally captured in African wars or raids and transported in the Atlantic slave trade.

Mark Twain calls on Dennis McCarthy, editor of the San Francisco journal, The Irish People. He has some difficulties with the language. Mark Twain was an American author and humorist. He is noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), called "the Great American Novel", and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876). He achieved great success as a writer and public speaker. His wit and satire earned praise from critics and peers, and he was a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty.

A Complaint about Correspondents, Dated in San Francisco is a short story by Mark Twain, one of the most funny and beloved American authors of all time. In it, Mark Twain complains about the letters he gets from friends and relatives. Letters which hold not a word of anyone he cares about or anything that would interest him, but instead are filled with nothing but utterly boring drivel, telling him about people he's never heard of before, and things he knows nothing at all about and cares less.

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics. Along with Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg, Chekhov is often referred to as one of the three seminal figures in the birth of early modernism in the theatre. Chekhov practiced as a medical doctor throughout most of his literary career: "Medicine is my lawful wife", he once said, "and literature is my mistress."

Curing a Cold was written in response to a serious cold followed by bronchitis that Twain suffered through the summer of 1863 – during the American Civil War, in fact, though you wouldn't really know it from the story. He wrote several letters and reports detailing his experiences to newspaper editors in Virginia City (Nevada) and San Francisco, but didn't write this dedicated piece until he arrived in San Francisco in September of that year.

What Stumped the Blue Jays by Mark Twain, is about animals' ability to speak, converse, and act like humans—mainly the blue jays. The blue jays, as Mark Twain claims, are like humans: they can speak, out-swear miners, have good grammar, and have a good sense of humor.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a classic narrative poem that follows the harrowing journey of a mariner who faces supernatural occurrences and the consequences of his actions. Each poem in this collection showcases Coleridge's mastery of language, imagery, and symbolism, inviting readers on a journey through landscapes both real and imagined. From the eerie enchantment of "Kubla Khan" to the gothic suspense of "Christabel" and the tranquil introspection of "Frost at Midnight," this collection offers a diverse range of poetic experiences.

The Land of the Gods: The Long-Hidden Story of Visiting the Masters of Wisdom in Shambhala by H. P. Blavatsky is a captivating exploration of the legendary kingdom of Shambhala and its connection to the Masters of Wisdom. This illuminating book delves into the mystical teachings and ancient wisdom associated with Shambhala, a hidden realm believed to exist beyond the physical plane. H. P. Blavatsky, a renowned spiritualist and founder of the Theosophical Society, presents a detailed account of her experiences and insights into the enigmatic land of Shambhala.

Read the best mystery and adventure short stories. Be it cozy, historical, detective or murder mystery stories; our collection includes them all: The Red-Headed League by Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle by Arthur Conan Doyle, The Arrow of Heaven by G. K. Chesterton, The Sign of the Broken Sword by G. K. Chesterton, The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allan Poe, The Master of Mystery by Jack London.